Tricky Treats to Avoid this Halloween

We are well into the fall season, which means that Halloween is just around the corner. Is there anything scarier than rouge goblins and ghosts roaming the streets? What about sugar-filled, sticky treats?

On a day that focuses on giving and receiving candy, it’s important to monitor your (or your child’s) sweets consumption. Of course, no candy is better than any candy, but if you do want to partake this Halloween, be sure to avoid these particularly tricky treats. Your teeth will thank you!

Note: Not only are these candies good to avoid consuming, but they are also good to avoid handing out. We provide a few healthier options at the end of this post that you can purchase for your neighborhood trick-or-treaters.

Sticky treats

Any type of food (candy or otherwise) that sticks to your teeth should be avoided as much as possible. This includes fruit treats (gushers, fruit rollups, fruit leathers) and of course, candy. The list of candies in this category is endless, but here are a few popular examples:

Starburst

Skittles

Laffy Taffy

Tootsie Rolls

Swedish Fish

Sour treats

These are candies that are sour or sweet and sour and can be harmful because of the acids used to give them have that sour punch. The acids, like citric acid, break down the tooth enamel and can lead to tooth erosion and cavities. Candies that fall into this category are Sour Worms, Sour Patch Kids, Sour Gummy Bears.

Sweet and Sticky treats

These candies are especially bad because they have a double punch: sugar filled and sticky. One or the other is bad enough, but when combined they can really wreak havoc on your teeth. Any chocolate filled candy that has a chewy center or caramel filling would fall into this category. Yes, that means that Twix and Butterfinger! Butterfinger is especially bad because it so easily gets stuck in your teeth.

Hard candy treats

Hard candies can be terrible for your teeth, not only introducing an influx of sugar in your mouth, but also creating the potential for damage. For example, with hard candies, you have a much higher risk of chipping or breaking your teeth. Sucking on any hard candy coats your teeth in sugar, making them vulnerable to cavities and decay. Candies that fall into this category are Jolly Ranchers, Lollipops, and Warheads.

But don’t fear; if you want to indulge your sweet tooth on Halloween, you can always go with a safer option. The safest option is dark chocolate. In addition to dark chocolate, Kit Kats, Crunch bars, and M&Ms are all better choices to hand out and consume.

One last tip for preventing post-Halloween haul cavities, is to drink a glass of water right after eating your candy, followed immediately by flossing and brushing your teeth. Don’t wait until right before bed; the longer the sugar sits in your mouth, the more your chance for cavities increases.

From all of us here at Sterling Dental Center, we wish you a safe, happy, and cavity-free Halloween!

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